Wrenches, Trenches and Stenches

Commemorating the start of the First World War

A Public Art Exhibition in the Stearns Mausoleum

Nunhead Cemetery, Linden Grove, SE15 3LP

Open 11am-5pm Saturdays, Sundays and Bank Holiday Mondays throughout May 2014.

The First World War - or the Great War 1914-1918 was fought on 3 continents and saw 14 million killed and 34 million wounded. This year commemorates the 100th year anniversary of the start of the First World War on 5th August 2014.

Women war artists were commissioned in the First World War, but had few opportunities to venture beyond the domestic, social, and industrial operations on the home front. This public art exhibition has commissioned 7 women artists to give their unique perspective on the First World War from the landscape of battle and life on the front line, as well as on the home front. Each artist has produced 3 artworks: commemorating the start of the war in 1914; the middle of the war in 1916; and the end of the war on Armistice Day in 1918.

Nicky Scott-Francis looks at the landscape of battle based on research at the Imperial War Museum - the photographic reconnaissance of battle sites before and after the war. Jolanta Jagiello examines soldiers killed by the enemy deliberately setting off avalanches that saw thousands of soldiers serving in the Alps frozen to death. Elisabeta Chojak-Mysko artworks will focus on the drama of war and least we should not forget.

Whilst Sara Scott tells the personal story of her grandfather's munitions factory and its contribution to the war effort. Louise Kosinska traces both her grandfather (who loved his camp coffee) and her grandmother serving as Red Cross Nurse. Monica Wheeler highlights how families were divided by the war, serving on all sides. And finally Jill Rock concentrates on her German family roots, interned in Britain for their own safety during the World War I.

The exhibition is curated by Jolanta Jagiello and funded by Southwark Council Community Fund.